After years of trying them, I have had very few excellent Cuban sandwiches. They always seem dry. My version here may not be traditional, but everyone likes it. I use soft, sweet challah bread rather than the traditional baguette-style bread. When you toast it, the sandwich still gets crispy on the outside, but the bread stays soft and moist inside. For a group of friends, split the whole loaf in half lengthwise and make one big sandwich on a large griddle or extra-large panini press. I’ll take those melters, Gruyère and Gouda, over dry Swiss cheese any day. And for the ham, I have no idea why people use the least flavorful deli ham available. A good Virginia-style pit ham — a little sweet and a little smoky — will never steer you wrong. Just don’t slice it paper-thin: It should have some chew when you bite into it. And for the roast pork, I use moist and juicy Slow-Cooked Pork Barbacoa. The signature flavor of mojo, Cuba’s orange and olive oil sauce, comes in the form of mojo mayonnaise. The mayo helps to carry those citrus flavors through the entire sandwich. — Kevin Gillespie, author of Pure Pork Awesomeness.

Rice and beans is a classic food combination, like spaghetti and meatballs, a bagel and cream cheese, or peanut butter and jelly. In this recipe, rice and beans come together with a medley of Cuban flavors for a tasty, satisfying dish.
Click here to see Rice Made Sexy — 5 Great Dinner Recipes.

This decadent interplay of well-aged rum, with spicy bitter, sweet and sour elements, is accentuated by the acidity of champagne. The Old Cuban is a well-balanced drink, refreshing, strong, and works well for any season. It was created at the Eastern Standard in Boston.

Bar chef Chad Phillips of The Social Club in Miami Beach, Fla., revamped this classic rum cocktail. Get your protein as you sip on your happy hour drink: a mixture of rum, lime juice, vanilla simple syrup, mint leaves, bitters, and an egg white. Garnish with a mint leaf and you're good to go!

“Inspired by my Cuban-Dominican grandmother, Livia, I’ve been making empanadas for years. She makes hers with a ground beef mixture, known as picadillo, and then fries the little babies up in oil. To lighten up her recipe, remix these by filling them with citrus-braised pork (a nod to the Cubano sandwich) and bake them. You still get a flaky, delicious crust, but you don’t get all the grease and heaviness that comes with frying.” — Angie Martinez, co-author of Healthy Latin Eating, Our Favorite Family Recipes Remixed

If you aren’t in the mood for a cold mojito, but want to put a little Latin spice in your drink, try this coffee drink made with gold rum and crème de cacao. It will warm you up right down to your toes. Most of the time, crème de cacao wouldn’t be considered “slimming,” but in this recipe, it’s the only thing that’s high in calorie.

How on earth do you serve a pressed sandwich to a bunch of your closest friends for dinner? Unless you own a dry cleaner’s giant trouser press, you’re going to need to try it my way. The simple instructions below will allow you pack your leftover hams into one of my favorite culinary forms — the casserole!

If you’re okay with being tortured by these tantalizing smells all day, this recipe is always a winner. Zesty yet comforting, this slow cooker recipe will be an instant hit with your entire family.— Shelby KinnairdClick here for more recipes from the Diabetic Foodie. Click here for more of the 101 Best Slow Cooker Recipes